


Delicate

by KrisEleven



Series: Beyond Words [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Website: Heart of Camelot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2013-10-31
Packaged: 2017-12-31 02:10:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1026053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrisEleven/pseuds/KrisEleven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morgana’s lips pursed as she stitched a sloppy petal on her violet. Vivienne returned to her own work, adding a delicate feather detail to the nightingale in flight. She wished she, like Morgana, could concentrate enough to drown out the men’s conversation. Instead, the voices of her husband and Uther rolled over her, capturing her attention.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Delicate

**Author's Note:**

> Set pre-series, before Arthur's birth. Vivienne is a Seer, like Morgana (we are going with the idea that when magic became reviled, Uther conveniently forgot this information).

“Hold the needle here, love,” Vivienne murmured, leaning over her embroidery hoop to adjust her daughter’s plump fingers. “The thread there... good.”

Morgana’s lips pursed as she stitched a sloppy petal on her violet. Vivienne returned to her own work, adding a delicate feather detail to the nightingale in flight. She wished she, like Morgana, could concentrate enough to drown out the men’s conversation. Instead, the voices of her husband and Uther rolled over her, capturing her attention.

She did not glance up at them. She did not want to know which of them would be looking back. After a time, Gorlois rose and excused himself. There was silence in the sitting room.

Vivienne did not glance up, even when Uther came to stand beside her. She could see the skin of his knuckles pale as he clasped his hands.

“That is beautiful work.”

“It is a gift for Her Highness,” Vivienne replied. “To congratulate her on her pregnancy.”

Uther took a shaky breath. “She will be pleased.”

“As, no doubt, are you,” Vivienne said, stabbing her needle into the heart of the nightingale. “You will finally have your heir.”

“Vivienne –”

“Your Majesty,” she interrupted – his title a correction, not an honorific. She looked up at him, then, meeting his gaze squarely. He opened his mouth without anything to say. “Does your lady wife know who she should thank for this turn in her fortune?” she asked, her night’s dream of Nimueh and bargains and some distant, nameless destruction still etched into her mind’s eye. Uther paled and she had her answer.

Gorlois entered, and she used Uther’s startle to stand and curtsy quickly.

“Come, Morgana. Let’s leave your papa and His Majesty to talk.” She took her daughter’s tiny hand and walked from the room without glancing back.


End file.
